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nature's orner ken carmichael The March Break in Texas Most people who have a strong hobby have goals or plateaus that they hope to reach. For me, it has been to see if it is possible even to Phatograph some of the endangered speci I was fortunate in 1986 to travel north to Inuvik in the North West Territories in search of the Peregrine Falcon. | was able on this trip to see and to photograph a bird which, when I was a boy, could be found in Ontario. Photographing the Peregrine Falcon was a dream come true. When | was 16 years « old I spent quite a few hours observing this magnificent bird at Fairy Lake near Huntsville. Another goal was to see and observe the «Crane. This March, Ann dnd | fipw to Texas in search of this magnificent bird. This elegant bird, the tallest in North America, reeches five feet in height. The flying whooping crane is an impressive sight to see. It has a seven foot-wing-span with the black wing tips. When the crane is on the ground the bird looks pure white except for the black facial markings and a bright red patch on the tip of its head. The Whooping Crane population was never very large, probably no more than 5000 birds From this point the population went steadily downhill until it reached its lowest point in 1941 At this time, 15 birds were wintering in Texas and six in Louisiana. The six birds in Louisiana soon disappeared leaving the world population at fifteen Why did these birds vanish? It is the same old story; the birds were hunted for feathers and food. Thus nesting grounds were drained to build towns and cities and farmland. It was at this point in time that biologista began to search for the nesting grounds of this endangered species. These birds flew north each year to their breeding ground and disappeared Brng the fantly to somewhere in northern Canada. The hunt for the nesting grounds began in 1945. For three years, the search was on but with no success. Finally in 1964, a helicopter pilot patrolling near a fire in Wood Buffalo National Park in the North West Territories spotted a large white bird with a fluffy, young chick. The nesting grounds were found, Biologists breathed a sigh of relief, these birds were nesting in a National Park. The inaccessibility of the nesting area explain why these few Whooping Cranes had survived. The Whooping Crane leaves Texas in late March arriving at their nesting grounds in early May. Although the nesting grounds are still frozen the days became rapidly longer and spring arrives quite quickly. Each pair of cranes soon builds a three foot mound out of bulrush and other water plants. Two eggs are deposited in this nest and the pair take turns incubating them for 30 days. When the eggs hatch, the chicks are brown in colour. Their eyes are open and they can walk soon after they dry. Although two chicks may hatch only one usually survives for the journey south. This may seem to be a sad situation but it has turned out to be helpful for the cranes survival. It is remarkable that this young bird can fly when its only two and a half months old In 1954, the Canadian Wildlife Service and the Untied States Fish and Wildlife service signed an agreement to allow one Whooping Crane egg to be removed from each nest in Wood Buffalo National Park, to be hatched in captivity. By 1987, 44 Whooping Cranes were living in captivity at Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Laurel, Maryland Today, the North American total of free and captive birds has reached the astounding number of 238 As | stood on the deck of Captain Ted's boat in the Aransas Wildlife Refuge at Rockport, Texas, | was thrilled to see two Whooping Cranes Adults $ | The 1994 Environment Fair Friends of the wonment Foundation | oor Prizes! 4 » Clarington Narington Prtertainment St ove a Gite 0 wag, Ep Yi ENVIRONMENT I - & FAIR 1994 Saturday May Mth 9:30am - Jubilee 300pm. Pavilion Lakeview Park, Sevvoe St South, OSHAWA feeding just 200 feet away from me. At the same time it made me proud to be a Canadian, On May 15, 1994, the Scugog Shores Naturalist Club will be holding a field trip. We will meet at the Port Perry High School parking lot at 9:00 a.m. You are welcome to join us. Bring a lunch. My annual late April walk on Scugog Island with Megan my Labrador Retriever in search of the American Woodcock was a success. We found one nest with four eggs. (Ken Carmichael is a noted wildlife photographer, a resident of Scugog Township whose columns appear in the Citizen). Few sights are more enjoyable for a pool owner than friends and family splashing and swimming in clean, clear sparkling water. After all, that's why you made the investment - for fun! As the swimming season begins and you prepare to open your pool, your BioGuard dealer will help you ge! started right. 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